My poor VF500: please help

408sb_eddie · 03-20-2008, 05:39 AM

Hey my first post here I'm trying to figure out what to do with this bike..I bought an 85 vf500 in 2004 , it was in fair condition and had a bad throttle grip, but ran pretty good. A few months later some douchebags tried to steal it from the driveway in broad daylight whilw I was at work. LUckily my mom noticed and yelled at them but in the process they dropped the bike off from thier loading ramp unto the dirt alley. Now the handelbars were a little tweaked and the throttle cable ripped loose from ther grip.

In the meantime i get other bike and the vf500 ends up sitting in the same spot for awhile. Next time i tried starting it i hook up fresh battery, and gas but couldnt get it to fire, no spark. Fuses are all ok. What could likely go bad in the ignition system from sitting in outdoors for so long? I would like to get this neglected interceptor running again but need some suggestions about the ignition problem. I would sell it the way it sits for $200. Its in pretty sad looking shape but complete and ran really good, strong motor no smoke smooth gearbox.. I am in northern colorado if anyone is interested

Lgn001 · 03-20-2008, 07:45 AM

Sorry for the grief! I don't know the early VFR's at all, and am just starting to get to know the new ones. Somebody will be along to help, I'm sure. Wished I lived closer. I have always liked those 500's. Good luck!

DGW · 03-20-2008, 07:53 AM

Since you said the bike was dropped on the throttle side of the handle bars it is possible that the kill swith on that side is damaged and not letting the bike start.

408sb_eddie · 03-21-2008, 02:51 AM

Yeah thanks that is possible, the kill switch, start button and throttle cable all run in a round plastic housing on the handlebar. The housing itself doesn;'t appear to be damaged though and the switches seem fine. I will try and bypass the killswitch to eliminate that. Can anyone tell me whether there are certain coils, ignition box, etc that are prone to fail on this bike, or maybe a critical ground point which may be coroded? I hate solving electrical system problems and not really sure where to begin..

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03-20-2008, 05:39 AM	#1 (permalink)
408sb_eddie Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Last Online: 06-13-2008 02:13 AM Posts: 2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	My poor VF500: please help Hey my first post here I'm trying to figure out what to do with this bike..I bought an 85 vf500 in 2004 , it was in fair condition and had a bad throttle grip, but ran pretty good. A few months later some douchebags tried to steal it from the driveway in broad daylight whilw I was at work. LUckily my mom noticed and yelled at them but in the process they dropped the bike off from thier loading ramp unto the dirt alley. Now the handelbars were a little tweaked and the throttle cable ripped loose from ther grip. In the meantime i get other bike and the vf500 ends up sitting in the same spot for awhile. Next time i tried starting it i hook up fresh battery, and gas but couldnt get it to fire, no spark. Fuses are all ok. What could likely go bad in the ignition system from sitting in outdoors for so long? I would like to get this neglected interceptor running again but need some suggestions about the ignition problem. I would sell it the way it sits for $200. Its in pretty sad looking shape but complete and ran really good, strong motor no smoke smooth gearbox.. I am in northern colorado if anyone is interested

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03-20-2008, 07:45 AM	#2 (permalink)
Lgn001 Most Royal Deluxe Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Last Online: Yesterday 06:38 AM Location: Russian River by Ocean, CA My Ride: 1983 CB1100F 2000 SV650 2007 VFR View my Photo Gallery Posts: 980 Thanks: 19 Thanked 47 Times in 38 Posts	Sorry for the grief! I don't know the early VFR's at all, and am just starting to get to know the new ones. Somebody will be along to help, I'm sure. Wished I lived closer. I have always liked those 500's. Good luck!

03-20-2008, 07:53 AM	#3 (permalink)
DGW Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Last Online: 11-18-2008 07:16 AM Posts: 22 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Since you said the bike was dropped on the throttle side of the handle bars it is possible that the kill swith on that side is damaged and not letting the bike start.

03-21-2008, 02:51 AM	#4 (permalink)
408sb_eddie Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Last Online: 06-13-2008 02:13 AM Posts: 2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Yeah thanks that is possible, the kill switch, start button and throttle cable all run in a round plastic housing on the handlebar. The housing itself doesn;'t appear to be damaged though and the switches seem fine. I will try and bypass the killswitch to eliminate that. Can anyone tell me whether there are certain coils, ignition box, etc that are prone to fail on this bike, or maybe a critical ground point which may be coroded? I hate solving electrical system problems and not really sure where to begin..